The present disclosure relates generally to absorbent articles intended for personal wear, and more particularly to disposable absorbent articles having a fastening system for selectively fastening and refastening the article about the wearer.
Many absorbent articles intended for personal wear, such as diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, bandages, medical garments and the like are designed to be sufficiently absorbent to absorb moisture from liquid body exudates including urine, menses, blood, etc., away from the wearer to reduce skin irritation caused by prolonged wetness exposure. Diapers, as an example, are typically placed and secured on a wearer using a set of primary fastening tabs, such as adhesive tabs or mechanical (e.g., hook or loop) fastening system tabs, and left in place to absorb insults as well as to contain fecal waste.
For articles where the attachment is refastenable, such as diapers and some training pants, pop-opens (separation of the fasteners) can sometimes occur as a result of stresses placed on the attachment by movement of the wearer. For example, and particularly for absorbent articles employing only one fastening system, as an infant or other wearer of the absorbent article moves about (e.g., crawls, walks, runs, bends, etc.) the shear stress placed on the fastening system due to the infant's movement can cause fastening tabs or the like to loosen or even come unfastened completely, resulting in an absorbent article that tends to leak, sag, or fall off of a wearer.
Secondary fasteners can be used to alleviate these issues, but secondary fasteners have a higher risk of red marking on the baby's skin compared to the primary fastener. Fastening features can be arranged to limit red marking, but these compromises do not maintain the fit on the baby was well as they could. Even in these compromises, there remains a risk that both hook fasteners can cause red marking on baby's skin.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved fastening system provided on an absorbent article that provides for increased protection against leakage and secure attachment of the absorbent article without the associated discomfort drawbacks discussed above.